Prosecutors seek suspension of OMB chief over graft raps

State prosecutors have asked the Sandiganbayan Fourth Division to suspend from office actor and Optical Media Board (OMB) Chairman Ronald "Ronnie" Ricketts and his co-accused over a graft case for allegedly releasing in 2010 confiscated pirated digital video discs (DVDs) and video compact discs (VCDs).

In a motion to suspend submitted before the graft court, the prosecution sought to suspend Ricketts, along with OMB Enforcement and Inspection Division (EID) head Manuel Mangubat, EID investigation agent Joseph Arnaldo and EID computer operator Glenn Perez.

All four were charged and arraigned last July 22 for violating Section 3(e) of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act (Republic Act 3019).

In seeking their suspension, prosecutors cited that under Section 13 of RA 3019: "Any incumbent public officer against whom any criminal prosecution under a valid information under this Act or Title 7, Book II of the Revised Penal Code or for any offense involving fraud upon government or public funds or property, whether as simple or as complex offense in whatever state of execution and mode of participation, is pending in court, shall be suspended from office."

"Applying the mandates of the law and prevailing jurisprudence, accused should be mandatorily suspended pendente lite," said prosecutors.

State lawyers pointed out that the Supreme Court had already declared that the purpose of the preventive suspension is "to prevent the accused public officer from hampering his prosecution by intimidating or influencing witnesses, tampering with documentary evidence, or committing further acts of malfeasance while in office."